


Coffee

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-29 17:25:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19404799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: After a disagreement, Louisa is desperate to have her best friend and her girlfriend be on speaking terms again. So she hatches a plan... Viktor belongs to pastelAlexander.





	Coffee

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pastelAlexander (sso_Viktor7)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sso_Viktor7/gifts).



Since moving to Jorvik, Viktor had never felt so relaxed in his life. Oh, sure, there was the looming threat of the apocalypse and the occasional friend drama, but considering what he'd come from? This was like heaven. Finally, he could swim in the waters around Jorvik without caring about anything bad happening to him, he could finally be himself in every sense of the word. His fabulously gay merman self. And the guys here weren't bad-looking, even if he had yet to snag one. Apparently, mermen did not, in fact, have the ability to enrapture men (or women) with their song, which was... unfortunate. So Viktor was left to seek out men and try to win their hearts the usual way- dating apps and pick up lines. Which his best friend Ariana was quite a good help with, actually.

As if somehow reading his mind, Viktor's phone buzzed with a message from his other best friend, one of the more estranged ones. When he saw Louisa's name on his phone, Viktor pulled himself out of the water onto the little fishing jetty just on the edge of the Forgotten Fields and waited impatiently for his tail to dry enough to change back into legs. At least his phone was waterproof, as any good merperson's phone should be.

"Hey Vik, wanna meet up for coffee?" Louisa's text message read. Vik gave a happy chirp, glad that nobody was around to hear that embarrassing noise.

"Sure! When and where?" Vik texted back, a grin spreading across his freckled face. He and Louisa hadn't really been talking much lately, ever since he'd had that little disagreement with her girlfriend. But Lisa had been totally out of line, saying that he didn't know what it was like to lose someone. Because he did know, quite intimately. He'd even lost himself, in a sense. Knowing that Louisa had disagreed with Lisa was really the only reason that they were still friends.

"You know that cafe in Jarlaheim?" Louisa texted back.

"Ma, there's two of them," Viktor was quick to reply, the end of his tail slapping the water in amusement. He pulled it back up again, scooting back further on the warm wood.

"The one near the harbour," Louisa texted. Vik laughed.

"They're both near the harbour," said Viktor, hoping that his teasing tone was translated through text. He could just hear Louisa's groan of frustration.

"The one outside the city walls," Louisa finally clarified.

"Oh, that one," said Viktor once he'd stopped laughing. "When?"

"This arvo," Louisa responded. Viktor grinned at her slang. "Maybe 3?"

"Yeah, I'm off all day, 3 sounds fine," Vik replied. "Gives my tail time to dry."

"Please tell me we didn't have this whole conversation underwater," Louisa texted. Viktor snickered.

"My phone is waterproof," said Vik. "But no, I'm out of the water now."

"You better be," said Louisa. "See you then."

Ever since learning that Viktor frequented the Forgotten Fields (and, honestly, ever since her 'incident'), Lisa had avoided that large, open area of Jorvik. But she still enjoyed Greendale, with its leafy greenery and mushrooms and the memory of taking rides here with her girlfriend. But Lisa was alone here today, riding Starshine along a path that was flanked by white-flowered bushes. A smile quirked her lips as she remembered that Louisa had had a lot of trouble following this path, and still did. Lisa, though, knew this forest like the back of her hand by now, so she was more than willing to guide her girlfriend around Jorvik.

As if her thoughts had summoned it, Lisa's phone suddenly buzzed with a message from the love of her life. She grinned as she read it, glad that Starshine could guide himself.

"Hey Lisa, want to go out for coffee this arvo?" Louisa had sent her.

"With the most beautiful girl in Jorvik? Of course," Lisa sent back. She could just imagine her girlfriend blushing, especially because it took her a while to reply.

"How does 3 sound? At the cafe outside the city walls, the one Catherine runs," Louisa texted.

"It's a date," Lisa immediately replied. She'd been too distant from Louisa recently, ever since that little fight that she'd had with Louisa's friends. She should have known better, should have watched her mouth, but... it was in the past now. And she had apologised to Louisa after finding her having a panic attack in the middle of this very forest, though she was still too nervous to apologise to any of Louisa's friends. Daine might hit her again, and she didn't want a repeat of that. But mostly, she didn't want to risk making things worse. Hopefully, this date would only help smooth things over. Now, she just had to find a nice outfit and probably brush her hair again...

Not long before the designated meeting time, Louisa stopped Goldmist outside of the little cafe and walked in to speak to Catherine. The woman who ran things here was sweet as pie, and had overseen many of Lisa and Louisa's dates. They were her favourite regulars. Now, she beamed as Louisa came into view.

"Louisa! Hi, it's been a while," said Catherine.

"Yeah, sorry about that," said Louisa, grinning back at her. "And unfortunately, you won't be seeing me here today as a customer but you will be seeing my girlfriend."

"Oh?" said Catherine. "Why's that, did something happen? Oh no. Don't tell me you guys broke up!" Her eyes were so huge and scared that Louisa couldn't help but smile.

"No, no, nothing like that," said Louisa. "We're fine, don't worry."

"Oh, phew," said Catherine, a hand to her chest. "But can I ask why?"

"She had a fight with one of my friends and I've tricked them into meeting up here," said Louisa. "Just, whatever happens, don't let them leave." Catherine saluted her.

"You have my word," said Catherine. "Those two are going to leave here friends or not at all."

"Exactly," said Louisa. "I really hope they're not too mad at me for this."

"You'll be fine," said Catherine, waving away her concerns. "At worst, they might be a little upset, but they'll get over it."

"I hope so," said Louisa. "Viktor's my best friend, and I really like Lisa."

"I'll make sure they get over it," said Catherine. "Want me to keep sending you updates?"

"Um... probably not," said Louisa. "I don't want them catching on."

"Smart thinking," said Catherine, winking at her. "Good luck."

"I really hope this goes well," said Louisa. "Hopefully I'll see you again soon with Lisa for another date."

"You'd better," said Catherine. "I'll order more chocolate for it." Louisa laughed as she rode away, though anxiety still twisted her insides. Navigating relationships was tricky but so worth it.

Half an hour later, Catherine watched as a familiar Puerto Rican boy rode in on his Jorvik Warmblood gelding and dismounted outside of the cafe. He was dressed pretty casually in a blue t-shirt and jeans and looking around for someone. Though he wouldn't find her. Catherine had to stifle a giggle. This was fun.

"Hi there!" Catherine called, her voice as chirpy as ever. Viktor looked at her and gave her a small smile and wave. He was another regular, sometimes bringing Jinder dates here.

"Hi," said Viktor. "Uh, is Louisa here yet? She said she'd meet me here?" Catherine just barely restrained a giggle.

"Not yet, I'm afraid, but she said to just take a seat and she'd be with you," said Catherine. She beamed at Viktor as he took a seat, and then waited with baited breath for Lisa to arrive.

Which she did, not five minutes later.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," said Lisa, dismounting Starshine. "I was j- what's he doing here?" Her brown eyes had immediately found Viktor, and she now glared at him. Viktor glared right back.

"Oh, Louisa told me she'd be a bit late, she just has some errands to run," said Catherine. "In the meantime, why don't you two sit, can I get you a drink or anything?"

"Coffee," Viktor and Lisa said at the same time. They caught eyes, and the tension was palpable.

"Oookay," said Catherine. "Coffee it is."

Grudgingly, Lisa took a seat across from Viktor, which was the furthest she could get on a table that seated four.

"Hi," said Viktor, his voice flat.

"Hi," said Lisa, not meeting his gaze. "Listen, I shouldn't have said what I said, and I'm sorry."

"Damn right you shouldn't have," said Viktor. Lisa flinched, and Vik closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose. The smell of the sea always calmed him. Maybe that was why Louisa had chosen this spot. His eyes flew open at that revelation. "She set this up, didn't she?"

"Yep, looks like it," said Lisa. "I didn't know she could be sneaky."

"Me neither, and she's like a mother to me," said Viktor.

"Me too," said Lisa. "Only, not in the same sense since I'm her girlfriend and we are definitely not into that."

"Bitch, I've seen your girlfriend's internet history," said Viktor. "There's little you're not into." Lisa's cheeks turned a shade almost as dark as her hair, but she laughed.

"Okay, you've got me there," said Lisa. "But that's one of the things. And like you can talk." Viktor gaped at her.

"Fair," said Viktor, nodding. "But I guess we should talk now that we've broken the ice with that."

"Yeah, guess we should," said Lisa. She sighed. "Louisa told me that you literally know what it feels like to lose someone. As does Daine. Hence the strong reaction." She touched her chin, remembering the bruise that had blossomed there.

"I don't know about Daine, but... I lost my mom at a young age," said Viktor, closing his eyes against the memory. Finding that that was a mistake, he instead gazed out at sea, away from Lisa's dumbstruck, horrified expression. "Car accident. I was there when it happened. And so began the worst years of my life." He looked back at her, finding tears gleaming on her cheeks. But his eyes were, for once, dry.

"I really am awful," said Lisa, raking a hand through her hair. She brushed away her tears, too, sniffling. "I-I had no idea..."

"You're right, you didn't," said Viktor. But his hard edge gradually softened. "And you couldn't have."

"Did Louisa or someone tell you that I also lost my mom at a young age?" Lisa asked. Viktor shook his head. "Riding accident. I was there. I don't think I can ever forget it."

"Me neither," said Viktor. "But at least you had your dad to look after you. I only had an asshole of an uncle and a boyfriend who wasn't what I thought he was. Bastards, both of them. Jorvik was the only thing that saved me."

"Can I hug you?" Lisa asked.

"Hold that thought," said Viktor, his eyes on the two mugs of coffee that Catherine was carrying over to the table. She also produced a box of tissues with a knowing smile on her face.

"So basically, I was a thoughtless bitch and I'm sorry," said Lisa. "But I knew I'd done something wrong when Louisa started avoiding me."

"Yeah, you have to do something really bad to get on her bad side," said Viktor. Lisa just looked sad, though.

"Yeah," said Lisa. She looked back up at Viktor. "And I'm sure she wants things to be smoothed over between us. I'm her girlfriend, you're her best friend."

"Just to be clear, I'm doing this for her," said Viktor. "I forgive you. Just don't go saying that shit again, okay?"

"Okay," said Lisa, nodding. "I think I can do that. Now can I hug you?"

"We'll take a selfie like that and send it to Louisa," said Viktor. Lisa nodded, a small smile growing despite the tears in her eyes.

Minutes later, Louisa's phone buzzed with a text. Immediately, she jammed her bookmark into the book that she'd been reading and sat up in the armchair to open the text message. She was greeted by the wonderful image of Viktor with his arm around Lisa and a caption reading 'Sneak :P'. Louisa grinned and replied with a few dozen heart emojis. That hadn't been quite as hard as she'd feared.


End file.
